For the hundreds of kids playing football in the area, the opening weeks of Cary Pop Warner Football signify the true start of the football season.

“Actually, what it means right now is that the kids are hot and sweaty,” said Bo McCormick, the co-commissioner of Cary Pop Warner. “We’ve got more than 400 kids out there now ready to put the pads on and start working again.”

Monday, Aug. 1, marked the first day of practices for players ranging from 5-years-old to 14. As required by the league, the players must undergo 10 hours of conditioning without pads, then 10 with pads.

From running to squats and push-ups, and drills and stances, the players are taken through a rigorous sequence of training to get them prepared for the season.

Once the conditioning weeks are complete, the teams’ regular 2-hour practices held a few times per week start, and the first game is set for Aug. 26.

In its 36 years of existence, Cary Pop Warner can easily brag about one thing: its ability to retain players. McCormick said most of the players who join the league at an early age usually stay interested in the sport and the program until they reach the age to play school ball.

“The majority of the kids that are out here are experienced returning players,” said Marc Ryan, one of the league’s football directors. “They kind of dread these first two weeks and they know it’s hard work, but they’re still out there having fun doing it. This is essentially their training camp.”

Even with the 100-degree heat, the coaches seemed to be just as excited, if not more so, than the players.

“If you love football and kids, this is the greatest place to be,” said John Senegal, a coach in the Mighty Mite age group. “They’ve been playing Playstation and Nintendo all summer, so the kids are excited and I think the parents are excited, as well, to get them out of the house.”

Senegal has been coaching in Pop Warner for seven years and is currently helping coach his youngest son, L.J., in the Mighty Mites.

His eldest son, Joshua, aged out of the league and is looking to make the Enloe High football team this year as a freshman. Though he’s working with young kids now, Senegal has seen and experienced some the top levels of the sport.

As a former offensive guard under coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling University, Senegal is no foreigner to the dedication and work required to make it far in football.

Still, he would opt to be involved with Pop Warner over college and the pros any day.

“This is much more entertaining than the NFL training camps,” he said. “Those guys are spoiled and in it for the contracts. These guys are out here just because it’s fun, and I love that.”